QUEEN S CORGI OFF AT RISK LIST FOR FIRST TIME IN ALMOST A DECADE

Transcription

1 QUEEN S CORGI OFF AT RISK LIST FOR FIRST TIME IN ALMOST A DECADE But Save Forgotten Dog Breeds campaign launched as other British breeds tumble to record lows Pembroke Welsh Corgi comes off Kennel Club s list of At Risk breeds for the first time since 2009 as 2017 breed registration statistics released British TV series The Crown helped with resurgence, after online searches for the breed increase by 22 per cent after second season aired However, campaign to Save Forgotten Dog Breeds launched as British breeds at risk plummet by almost thirty per cent in the last decade, and many including the Old English Sheepdog slump to an all-time low The campaign encourages people to meet the at risk breeds at Crufts in Birmingham (8-11 th March), where a special Vulnerable Native British and Irish Breeds Competition is being held. French Bulldog continues to skyrocket and looks set to become UK s top dog The Queen s Corgi has come off the Kennel Club s list of British dog breeds at risk, and bucked a trend which is seeing historic British breeds plummet to dangerously low levels of popularity, as newer and more fashionable breeds skyrocket. The popularity of Netflix television series, The Crown, which features the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, has helped with the resurgence as searches increased by 22 per cent in December 2017, when the second season aired, and registrations increased by seven per cent throughout the year, with 456 puppies registered by the Kennel Club. The breed was added to the Kennel Club s At Watch list of British breeds, which is for breeds that number between 300 and 450 registrations, in Those that number fewer than 300 annual registrations are on the Kennel Club s Vulnerable Native Breeds list. However, the breed is bucking a trend which is seeing some of our oldest British dog breeds become at risk of disappearing, as more popular and fashionable dog breeds become the obvious choice for puppy buyers.

2 The Kennel Club s new Save Forgotten Dog Breeds campaign aims to remind people about the 220 breeds of pedigree dog in the country, including those historic native breeds that are at risk of disappearing, as they become forgotten. The campaign encourages people to meet the at risk breeds at Crufts in Birmingham (8-11 th March), where a special Vulnerable Native British and Irish Breeds Competition is being held. One historic native dog breed, the Bullmastiff, has been added to the Kennel Club s At Watch list of breeds that could risk disappearing in the future for the first ever time in 2018, after numbering 429 registrations last year, down 73 per cent in the last decade. Many breeds, including the Old English Sheepdog, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Curly Coated Retriever, Irish Water Spaniel and English Toy Terrier dropped to their lowest level in 2017, since the list began. Overall, the 36 breeds on the Kennel Club s Vulnerable Native Breeds and At Watch lists have declined by 28 percent in the last ten years British breeds not on the At Watch list but which saw the biggest decline of all pedigree breeds in the last decade are the Yorkshire Terrier and the West Highland White Terrier, which dropped by 78 and 74 per cent respectively. The West Highland White Terrier, which has long been in the UK top 20, no longer commands a place. The French Bulldog, currently the UK s second favourite dog, continues to soar in popularity and increased by a staggering 44 per cent last year, with 30,887 registrations. This means, if the current rate of increase continues, it will overtake the Labrador Retriever, which increased by only 4 per cent to 35,068 registrations in 2017, as the UK s top dog next year. The top six breeds of dog in the UK the Labrador Retriever, French Bulldog, Cocker Spaniel, Pug, English Springer Spaniel, Bulldog and Golden Retriever account for more registrations between them than the remaining 214 dog breeds combined.

3 Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: There are more than 200 pedigree dog breeds in this country and yet people are increasingly opting for the fashionable or obvious choices. Some breeds, such as the French Bulldog are experiencing phenomenal growth as a result. Whilst it can make a wonderful pet, as is true of all breeds, it isn t suitable for everybody, and people must research its health and care needs to work out whether it s actually right for them. Other dog breeds, including many of the UK s oldest, are at risk of disappearing because they re simply being forgotten about. We have launched this awareness campaign which will include a competition for at risk breeds and a meet and greet zone for most of the breeds in the country, at Crufts - because we need to keep the rich diversity of breeds, with all of their unique characteristics, so that people can get a dog that is truly right for them. Mary Davis, Chairman of the Welsh Corgi League, said: We are delighted to see the Pembroke Welsh Corgi has grown steadily in popularity and is no longer on the At Watch list. The breed still enjoys some profile thanks to its royal connections and has had a boost from related TV programmes such as The Crown, unlike many other breeds on the list. Whilst we always need to make sure people choose the right dog for the right reasons, the Kennel Club s campaign is critical to saving the British breeds which don t have any public profile, so they stay in people s minds. It is the people who discover and come to love our forgotten breeds today who will help keep them going for future generations to enjoy. For more information visit ENDS For further information or interview requests please contact Heidi Ancell-Day at heidi.ancell-day@thekennelclub.org.uk or on Notes to Editor

4 The Kennel Club s Vulnerable British and Irish Breeds list was created in 2004 in order to highlight those breeds that had fewer than 300 puppy registrations and an At Watch list was created for those with annual puppy registrations. Vulnerable British and Irish Breeds list registration figures for 2017 and 2016 Breed % change 16 to 17 HOUND Deerhound Otterhound Bloodhound GUNDOG English Setter Gordon Setter Irish Red & White Setter Retriever (Curly Coated) Spaniel (Clumber) Spaniel (Field) Spaniel (Irish Water) Spaniel (Sussex) TERRIER Bull Terrier (Miniature) Dandie Dinmont Terrier Fox Terrier (Smooth) Glen of Imaal Terrier Kerry Blue Terrier Lakeland Terrier Manchester Terrier Norwich Terrier Sealyham Terrier Skye Terrier WORKING Mastiff PASTORAL Collie (Smooth) Lancashire Heeler Welsh Corgi (Cardigan) TOY English Toy Terrier (Black and Tan)

5 King Charles Spaniel AT RISK HOUND Irish Wolfhound Spaniel (Welsh Springer) TERRIER Bullmastiff Irish Terrier Parson Russell Terrier Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Welsh Terrier PASTORAL Bearded Collie No longer on the At Watch list Bedlington Terrier Welsh Corgi (Pembroke) The Kennel Club The Kennel Club is the largest organisation in the UK devoted to dog health, welfare and training. Its objective is to ensure that dogs live healthy, happy lives with responsible owners. It runs the country s largest registration database for both pedigree and crossbreed dogs and the Petlog database, which is the UK s biggest reunification service for microchipped animals. The Kennel Club is accredited by UKAS to certify members of its Assured Breeder Scheme, which is the only scheme in the UK that monitors breeders in order to protect the welfare of puppies and breeding bitches. It also runs the UK s largest dog training programme, the Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme and licenses shows and clubs across a wide range of activities, which help dog owners to bond and enjoy life with their dogs. The Kennel Club runs the world s greatest dog show, Crufts, and the Discover Dogs event at ExCeL London, which is a fun family day out that educates people about how to buy responsibly and care for their dog. The Kennel Club invests in welfare campaigns, dog training and education programmes and the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, which supports research into dog diseases and dog welfare charities, including Kennel Club Breed Rescue organisations that re-home dogs throughout the UK. The Kennel Club jointly runs health screening schemes with the British Veterinary Association and through the Charitable Trust, funds the Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust, which is at the forefront of pioneering research into dog health. The Kennel Club Cancer Centre at the Animal Health Trust (AHT) contributes to the AHT s wellestablished cancer research programme, helping to further improve dog health.